Sports Betting Blog

The NBA Finals is one of the most exciting times of the year to bet on basketball. It's no surprise that it is the annual pinnacle for betting on the NBA. The level of excitement ramps up even more when you have money on the NBA Finals games but it only lasts if you are on the winning side. Here is a look at the best strategy for betting on the NBA Finals.

Major Adjustments

If you have ever watched an entire NBA Finals series, you have probably witnessed major swings in the final scores from one game to the next. First of all, the teams playing in the NBA Finals are usually the most talented from their respective conferences. Second, with both teams boasting considerable talent the biggest differences from one game to another is the major adjustments that are made. If one team wins a game by a considerable amount, the other team will usually make major adjustments to account for the way they were blown away and rebound with a better performance in the next game. It's important to account for these expected adjustments on a game-to-game basis when it comes to betting on the NBA Finals.

Absence Of Home Court Advantage

In the 2016 NBA Finals, the road team won three of the seven games. In the 2015 NBA Finals, the road team won three of the six games. In the 2014 NBA Finals, the road team won three of the five games. Over that three-year span, the road team won nine of the 15 NBA Finals games. The bottom line is that while home court advantage is relevant over the course of an NBA season, it isn't necessarily relevant in the NBA Finals.

Understanding Impact Of Public Money

Another important element to consider is the impact that public money can have on the betting lines. The public tends to overvalue a number of aspects such as trends from the regular season, coaching resumes, fatigue and star power from one team or another when it comes to betting on the NBA Finals. The public bets can swing the lines and odds for each individual matchup further than they likely should be, which in some cases could open the door for NBA bettors to gain an advantage. If Team A should be a 1.5-point underdog and the public money moves them to a 3-point underdog, then there is value betting on them to cover the spread.

Avoiding Prop Bets

One final important tip for betting on the NBA Finals is to avoid prop bets as much as possible. While prop bets can add to the excitement of games from an entertainment perspective, they could be costly. While you want to watch and pay close attention to the games in order to understand the adjustments each team is making you need to be careful not to risk too much money on the individual prop bets. There is nothing wrong with risking smaller amounts of money betting on NBA Finals props. Just make sure you don't get carried away risking more money than you should be willing to put on the line with every prop bet.